In the recent elections in Telangana, a concerning trend has emerged, revealing that 80 out of the newly-elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have criminal cases against them. This includes 16 legislators facing charges related to the Telangana agitation and violations of the Model Code of Conduct. This information comes from the Forum for Good Governance, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that reported 65 MLAs with criminal cases in the outgoing Assembly.
The data indicates a rise in the number of MLAs with criminal backgrounds, with 50 out of the 64 newly-elected Congress MLAs (78%) having cases against them. For the BRS party, 19 out of 39 MLAs (48%) have criminal cases, while the BJP has the highest percentage with 87% of its MLAs facing charges. The AIMIM follows with 57% of its MLAs having criminal cases.
The NGO expressed concern over the increasing trend, noting that despite the Supreme Court’s directive against political parties fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds, parties seem to prioritize winnability over adherence to these guidelines. Last month, the NGO analyzed the criminal backgrounds of candidates and found that 226 nominees from major political parties had criminal cases against them.
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A committee examined candidate affidavits and prepared a report, revealing that 84 out of 118 Congress candidates had criminal cases. A. Revanth Reddy, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief, tops the list with 89 cases. Other elected candidates with multiple cases include Vedma Bhojju and Kokkirala Premsagar Rao. BJP MLA T. Raja Singh, known for delivering controversial speeches, has 89 cases against him, while BRS leader Gangula Kamalakar, re-elected from Karimnagar, has 10 cases. Outgoing Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, re-elected from Gajwel, faces nine cases.
This concerning trend highlights the need for a reevaluation of candidate selection processes and adherence to legal and ethical standards in politics.
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